Close to a decade after the Tamil Nadu government banned over-the-counter sale of emergency contraceptive pills (ECP), an online petition to revoke the move has gone viral on social networking sites.Ekatha Ann John | TNN | October 06, 2016, 08:44 IST

Slamming the government for violating the sexual rights of women, Jhataka, a Bengaluru-based organisation, started an online campaign to lift the ban, garnering around 1,500 signatures. The ban is not based on any legal ground but moral, according to the group.

Doctors’ opinion on the subject is divided. While one group feels the allowing over-the-counter sale of the pill will help avoid unwanted pregnancies, especially among victims of marital rape, another group feels the move would lead to indiscriminate usage.

“There are concerns over how frequently the pills will be used and the possible side-effects of it,” said Dr Rekha Kurian, past president of the Organization of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Officials deny the ban was made merely on moral grounds. "These pills contain levonorgestrel, a hormone used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. While the strength of the over-the-counter product was fixed at 0.1mg, the products in the market were above 0.75mg. We wanted them relabelled as prescription or schedule H drugs and disallowed their sale as over-the-counter drugs," said Abdul Khader, director of drugs control. Many pharma companies have limited supply of the pills in the state as a result.

In the absence of contraceptives, doctors say that morning-after pills are the best alternative for a woman to avoid the strain of an abortion. The Centre approved sale of a two-pack pill of 0.75mg over the counter in September 2005. However, Tamil Nadu banned their sale under provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

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